On March 7, 2017, scientists noticed a record low in the maximum extent of Arctic ice in the winter. Experts say that it is impossible to say whether the cause of this situation is global warming. However the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) states that many scientists agree that the rise in temperature in the Arctic regions results from climate change caused by human activities. The scientists of NSIDC said that during the last 30 years, the North Pole of the Earth has become warmer than any other region of the planet.
It is natural for there to be some variation in the North and South polar ice. Each year, sea ice at both poles undergoes a periodic cycle of growing to its maximum in the cold season and shrinking in the warm season. The winter and summer seasons of the North and South Poles are opposite to each other. This means that Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum extent for the year in September, and around the same time the Antarctic ice expands to its maximum extent for the year. Similarly, in February or March, the sea ice cover in the Arctic region reaches its maximum and reaches its minimum in Antarctica.
In 2017, the maximum and minimum sea ice extents in the Arctic and Antarctic, respectively, were the lowest ever seen. Researchers point to factors such as warmer-than-normal temperatures and storms that have slowed ice growth in winter.
Scientists don’t know for sure if the new record low is directly caused by global warming. “This global warming leads us to say that it is beginning to engulf Antarctica as well. However, we will need several more years of data to tell if there is a significant change in the trend.” said a sea ice scientist who discussed it with us.